Phlox plant  named ‘Versweta’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of Phlox, ‘Versweta’, characterized by its very dwarf plant habit, its re-blooming habit, and its flowers that are bright pink in color.

Botanical classification: Phlox hybrid.

Cultivar designation: ‘Versweta’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is related to U.S. Plant Patents for plants derived from the same breeding program that is entitled Phlox Plant Named ‘Verscan’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,558) and Phlox Plant Named ‘Versde’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,557).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Phlox paniculata and will be referred to hereafter by its cultivar name, ‘Versweta’. ‘Versweta’ represents a new herbaceous perennial grown for landscape use.

‘Versweta’ was selected by the Inventor as a naturally occurring branch mutation of Phlox paniculata ‘Verscan’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 27,558) discovered in a production field at the Inventor's nursery in Haarlem, The Netherlands in 2014.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings by the Inventor in 2015 in Haarlem, The Netherlands. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘Versweta’ as a unique cultivar of Phlox.

-   -   1. ‘Versweta’ exhibits a very dwarf plant habit.     -   2. ‘Versweta’ exhibits a re-blooming habit.     -   3. ‘Versweta’ exhibits flowers that are bright pink in color.

The parent plant, ‘Verscan’, is similar to ‘Versweta’ in having a very compact plant habit. ‘Verscan’ differs from ‘Versweta’ in having bi-color flowers that are red-purple and white in color. ‘Versweta’ can be most closely compared to the Phlox paniculata cultivar ‘Versde’. ‘Versde’ is similar to ‘Versweta’ in having a very compact plant habit. ‘Versde’ differs from ‘Versweta’ in having flowers that are darker pink in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Phlox. The photographs were taken of a 1-year-old plant of ‘Versweta’ as grown in a 17-cm container Haarlem, The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 is a view of a plant of ‘Versweta’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 is a close-up view of an inflorescence of ‘Versweta’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of a leaf of ‘Versweta’.

The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Phlox.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE PLANT

The following is a detailed description of 1-year-old plants of the new cultivar as grown in 17-cm containers in Haarlem, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2015 Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Early summer and re-blooming into autumn in             The Netherlands.         -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Plant habit.—Very dwarf, compact, upright and slightly             spreading.         -   Height and spread.—Average of 25 cm in height to top of             foliar plane, 35 cm in height to top of floral plane, 45 cm             in diameter.         -   Cold hardiness.—At least in U.S.D.A. Zone 4.         -   Diseases and pests.—Has shown good resistance to powdery             mildew caused by Erysiphe cichoracearum, no susceptibility             or resistance to pests has been observed.         -   Root description.—Moderately fibrous, smooth and glabrous,             158B to 158C in color, average of 2 mm in diameter.         -   Growth rate.—Low to moderately vigorous.         -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings, root cuttings, and tissue             culture.         -   Root initiation.—About 30 days in summer.         -   Root development.—Average of 26 weeks from a rooted cutting             to fully develop in a 1.5-Liter container. -   Stem description:     -   -   Stem quantity.—Average of 13 primary branches.         -   Stem size.—14.7 cm in length, 3 mm in diameter.         -   Stem shape.—Round.         -   Stem strength.—Very strong.         -   Stem color.—Young developing stems 145B, mature stems 144A,             internodes N186C.         -   Stem surface.—Smooth and glabrous.         -   Stem aspect.—Held in an average angle of 25° (varying             between 0° and 45°).         -   Internode length.—An average of 1.6 cm.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching, main stems grow from the             base. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Elliptic to ovate, very slightly carinate.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Apiculate.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, color upper side 144A, color lower             side 144B.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire, but slightly rough to the touch with             very fine serration.         -   Leaf attachment.—Petiolate.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces are smooth and glabrous, upper             surface slightly rugose and very slightly glossy, lower             surface moderately rugose and matte.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; 143A and 144A, young lower             surface; 143B and 144A, mature upper surface; NN137A, mature             lower surface; 147B.         -   Leaf size.—An average of 7.4 cm in length and 3 cm in width.         -   Leaf quantity.—An average of 20 (10 pairs) per stem.         -   Leaf aspect.—An average angle of 70° to stem axis.         -   Petioles.—Flattened, an average of 3 mm in width, 1.5 mm in             height and 2.5 mm in length, upper surface 144A in color,             lower surface 144B in color, both surfaces are smooth,             glabrous, strong strength. -   Flower description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Compound terminal panicle.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—Freely flowering, individual             flowers lasts about 10 days, 3 to 4 weeks per inflorescence,             inflorescences are continuously produced during the bloom             season.         -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 11.9 cm in height and 10.9             cm in diameter.         -   Flower fragrance.—Moderate, sweet and pleasant phlox strong             fragrance.         -   Flower number.—Average of 100 per inflorescence, 650 per             plant.         -   Flower aspect.—Upright to outward.         -   Flower bud.—An average of 2.5 cm in length and up to 5 mm in             diameter, oblanceolate in shape, smooth and glabrous             texture, very slightly glossy, color; N80A, immature tube             axially striped N77D and 145C, immature calyx 145A to 145B,             axially striped N186C.         -   Flower form.—Salverform.         -   Flower size.—An average of 3 cm in height and diameter, 2.9             cm in length, throat diameter 3 mm, tube length 2 cm, tube             diameter 3 mm.         -   Petals.—5, 1 whorl, moderately overlapping, self-cleaning,             both surfaces are glabrous, smooth and velvety, throat             surfaces are glabrous and smooth, tube surfaces are             moderately covered with very short soft hairs, average of             0.3 mm in length and NN155D in color, rotate and moderately             overlapping arrangement, petals are fused 58.5% into tube,             spathulate in shape, margins entire, rounded apex, average             of 4.1 cm in length, 1.7 cm in width, color; when opening             upper side; N57B and 67A, when opening lower side; N57D and             67D, when fully open upper surface; N57B and 67A, fading             towards the flower throat, when fully open lower surface;             67D and 75B to 75C, on upper surface fading to N57C and 67C,             lower surface fading to 70C, vein color upper surface N57B             and 67A, vein color lower surface 67D and 75B to 75C, tube             surface and vein color 75A to 75B, throat and throat             venation 155D, tube and tube venation N77B.         -   Calyx.—Rotate in form, 20% fused, an average of 9.5 mm in             length and 3 mm in diameter.         -   Sepals.—5, 1 whorl, base cuneate in shape and lower 20%             fused, rotate, lanceolate in shape, margins entire, apex             narrowly apiculate in shape, an average of 9.5 mm in length             and 3 mm in width, both surfaces are glabrous, smooth,             non-rugose, slightly glossy, color; when opening and fully             open upper and lower surface 145A to 145B, axially striped             N186C, margined 145D, venation both surfaces N186C.         -   Peduncles.—Very strong, 8.7 cm in length, 3 mm in diameter,             vertical angle, smooth, glabrous and moderately glossy             surface, 144A in color.         -   Pedicels.—Moderately strong, an average of 4 mm in length             and 0.1 mm in diameter, average of 40° angle, smooth,             moderately glabrous surface, 144B in color. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Gynoecium.—Pistil; 1, 1.6 cm in length, stigma; cleft             (3-parted), 150D in color, 1.5 mm in diameter, 1 mm in             length, style; 1.5 cm in length, 177C in color, ovary; 143A             in color.         -   Androecium.—Stamens; 5, anthers; narrow oblong in shape, 2.5             mm in length, 1 mm in width, 160D in color, filaments; 1 mm             in length, 155A to 155B in color, pollen is moderate in             quantity and 158D in color.         -   Seeds.—None observed to date. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant named ‘Versweta’ as herein illustrated and described. 